Game device



. s. C.. PEEK GAME DEV ICE Filed Feb. 4, 192e n@ *S r11 11111111111111111111111 A TWEE/Vif Patented sept. i7, 1929 1,728,77@

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

SANDFORD C. PEEK, F EAST AURORA, NEW YORK GAME DEVICE Application led February 4, 1928. Serial No. 251,986.

This invention relates to game devices, the cross bar 6 by the weight of the cabinet. and has for an object to provide an improved This provides a simple and stable support and simple game device for the entertain for. holding the enclosure in an inclined ment of young and old. pOSition, yet the prop or leg 4 may be swung A further object of the invention is to upwardly into the enclosure for compact- 5 provide an improved game device which will ness when the device is not in use. be entertaining to children; which will train A plate or partition 7 is mounted between them in strategy; which will hold their inthe side walls 3 at a point spaced below the terest; and which will be relatively simple, top 2, so as to extend lengthwise of the durable and inexpensive, enclosure from the higher open end thereof. 60

Various other objects and advantages will This plate 7 extends preferably to a point be apparent from the following description beyond the mid length of the enclosure and of one embodiment of the invention, and at its lower end has a cross groove 8 in the the novel features will be particularly pointcorner edge of its upper face. A second ed out hereinafter in connection with the plate 9 is disposed between the side walls 3 65 appended claims. at the lower end of the enclosure and this In the accompanying drawings plate extends from the lower end upwardly Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a device conin adirection lengthwise of the cabinet to structed in accordance with the invention; a point in proximity to butspaced from the 2o Fing 2 is an ood elevation of the Same; lower end of the plate 7 so as to provide be- 70 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional elevatween the plates 7 and 9 an open gap or tion of the same, the section being indicated aperture 10. The plane of the upper tace as approximately along the line 3 3 of 0f the plate 9 slightly below the pl ane of Figo 4; the upper face of the plate 7, for a purpose y l5 Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the same; which will appear shortly. Another plate T Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sec- 11 is also mounted between the side walls 3 tional elevation 0f a portion 0f the same, 0f the @IiClOSuIe at the lOWQI end 0f the Cabiwith the section taken approximately along net extending from a point in proximity to they line 5- 5 0f Fig. 4; and the bottom edge of the cabinet or enclosure,

zo Fig. 6 is a partial, transverse, sectional upwardly in all inclined direction beneath o elevation of the same, the section being takand beyond, but spaced from the open gap en approximately along the line 6 6 in or aperture 10. A block 12 mounted be- Fig. 3. i tween the side walls 3 and upon the upper In the muon-ated embodiment of tho inend of the plate 11 provides an inclined run- ;5 vention. the game device includes a cabinet WHY leadm from the Plitt@ 11 t0 th@ lOWel 65 or enclosure 1, having a top wall 2 and @Wl @fl-19 O f the Plte- Sido Wang 3, A log or prop 4 is hinged, as A plurality of Hat strips 13 are disposed by pivots 57 between the Side Walls 3 at, one erde by side upon the upper face of the plate end thepQOf S() as t() Support the @nclggufe 01 9 150 HS 1T() bt? lnflpelldelltly Of .011

lo cabinet in an inclined position when the uOlIQI' upwardly along the plate 9 and into no other end of the cabinet or enclosure is supthe cross groove 8. -When so shifted, these ported directly upon the surface upon which strips 1S serve as bridges covering the apen the leg or prop 4 is placed. A bar 6 Quand, ture 10, the thickness of the plates 13 being ing across between the Sido Walls 3 at tho the saine as. or slightly less than, the groove upper @nd of the enclosure limits the outthan that the strips 13 when across the gap 9ay ward movement of the prop or leg 4 niateri- Will SGFVG 11S COIIHuHOHS Of the runway ,my boyond a Straightpm positiona and formed by the upper surface of the plate 7.

therefore when th@ enclosure Supported `lvlf'iei ili Stlips 1.3 31"@ Slllftcd (lOWlWtllClly upon a surface by this prop, the prop or leg they will be withdrawn from over the gap 10.

4 Will be slightly inclined and held against and the inclined surface of the block 1Q will 100 form the continuation of the runway formed by the upper surface of the plate 7, this continuation ol' the runway thus formed merging into the upper surface of the plate 11. 1t will thus be observed that the runway formed by the plate 7 may be considered as divided at a point intermediate the ends of the cabinet or enclosure into two paths, one of which is down the inclined surface of the block 12 and upon the plate 11, and the other ot' which is along the strips 13 and down the upper surface of the plate 9. The strips or bridges 13 are in eil'ect switching means for directing along either otl these paths any objects moving down the runway. The passages within the ycabinet which have the runways for the floor thereof are in reality tunnels, the tunnel having its bottom the plate 7 being the main tunnel and dividing into two separate tunnels at the gap 10.

A cross bar or plate 14 may be provided between the side walls 3 at the lower end ot the enclosure or cabinet and at the lower edge of the plate 9 to 'torni a stop 'for objects passing over the plate 9. A similar cross bar 15 at the lower edge ot' the plate 11 serves as a stop for objects passing down the block 12 and over the plate 11. These bars 14 and 15 are spaced apart, however, to permit access to the space between the plates 9 and 11 through the lower end of the cabinet. The chamber at the lower end ot the enclosure or cabinet, formed by the cross bar 14, the plate 9, the side walls 3 and top wall 2, may be considered as a compartment or tunnel A serving as the terminus ol one ot said paths, and the space in the lower end ot the enclosure or cabinet between the plates Sl and 11 forms another tun ,el or coi'npartment B serving as the terminus of the other path of said runway. By selectively adjusting the strips or bridges 13 across or free of the gap 10, any objects moving down any portion of the runway formed by the plate 7 will be directed into one or the other of the compartments A and B depending upon the setting of the bridge 3 in that portion of the runway.

To guide the trips or bridges 13 in their sliding movements and also in order to divide the runway into a plurality of separate roadways or tracks, a plurality ot rails 16 may be fprovided upon the upper face of the plate 7 in parallel spaced relation to one another and wxh-riding from the upper end ot' the cabinet or enclosure along the plate 7 preferably beyond the gap 10, and either to, or in proximity lo. the lower end of the enclosure. The strips or bridges 13 nicely fill thespaces between the ,rails at the lower end of the enclosure, and the rails guide these strips in their sliding mcvemcnts, and also prevent displacement ot th strips or bridges crosswise of the enclosure or cabinet. The strips or bridges 13 thus `titute individual switches or bridges y.olling the section of the gap 10 in that particular roadway in which it slides. Each section of the gap therefore a sub-gap, opening or aperture in the tloor of the tunnel Vtermed between the top and sides of the enclosure and the plate 7.

An L-shaped strip 17 may be secured edgewise of one arm against the outer lace of one of the side walls 8, so as to form with that side wall a return traclrway 1S, and this strip 17 when the cabinet or enclosure is supported in its inclined position by the prop or leg 4, is also inclined to the horizontal but in a direction reverse to the inclination oit the plate 7 in the e closure. Thus the traclrway 18 on the outside of the cabinet serves a means tor retiuning to the higher end et' the enclosure any objects which have passed down the interior of the enclosure in a manner t0 be cxpla'ned. rl`hc top wall :2 may terminate ,L-.liortly above the lower end of the cabinet so as to proride an opening at the lower end the enclosure through which access may be d to remove objects from the compartment. and to permit of the selective set ting ot' the ridg'jes or strips 13. Acc to the lower comnien` ll is obtained through the lower end 1e cabinet between the cross bars 1l and The top wall 2 of the enclosure or cabinet serves to screen or conceal from a player at the higher end of thc cabinet a View of the gap 10, so that this player at the higher end ot' the cabinet will not be able to observe the positions or settings of the strips or bridges 13, and therefore will be unable to know whether an object conducted down any particular roadway will pass into the upper or lower compartment. To further screen the gap 10 from the view ot this player at the higher end ot' the cabinet, a curtain 19 of suitable flexible material, such as cloth or teX- tile material, may be secured to the top wall 2 and suspended across the tunnel formed in the enclosure between the top wall 2, the side walls 3 and the plate 7, and this curtain 19 may be provided with a plurality of ,slits 2() extending from the lower edge upwardly for some distance so that the curtain will offer little resistance to objects passing down the tunnel and at the same time will serve as an etl'cctive vision screen across the tunnel.

The objects or articles which are to be passed down the road 'ays in the use of this cabinet` may be of any suitable type which will roll.y move. or slide freely down the tunnel. such as marbles or balls of different sizes, or other rolling objects such as minature or toy vehicles. For example, a plurality of small toy trucks 21 and one or more small toy automobiles may be utilized as the moving objects which are conducted through the tunnel. A plurality of small dolls or figures representing soldiers may be provided and loaded into the trucks in order to add interest llt) to the playing of the game, especially for small children.

In the use of the illustrated embodiment of this improved game device, let it be assumed that there are two trucks 21, one toy automobile 22 and four tracks on the inclined runway. The cabinet is placed upon a suitable surface or floor in an inclined position as shown in Figs. 1, Q and 3. One player is stationed at the higher end of the cabinet and another player at the lower end. The player at the higher end of the tunnel takes possession of the trucks 21 and the automobile Q2, and is given a number of toy soldiers. The player at the lower end of the cabinet places his hand within the lower end of the enclosure or cabinet manipulates the strips or bridges 13 in a selected manner, known only to himself, so as to bridge the gap 1() of say two of the tracks or roadways and to leave the gaps in the other tracks or roadways open. The player at the higher end then starts the trucks 21 loaded with Asoldiers and the automobile 22 separately or together down any of the roadways which he may select, with the result that the trucks and auto will pass into one terminal compartment or the other depending upon the position of the bridges or switches 13 of the roadways utilized, that is, depending upon whether or not the bridge or Iswitch 13 for each roadway or track used is in bridging or open relation with the gap in that track.

In Fig. 4 one of the trucks is illustrated as passing downwardly through the gap 10 into the lower compartment B. and another truck as passing' over one of the bridges or switches 13 into the upper compartment A. The automobile 22 has previously passed down the same roadway into the upper compartment A. The automobile 22 preferably has a tigure therein, which may, for the purpose of creating interest, be considered a general, and the soldiers in the trucks may be considered as the army. The player at the higher end of the cabinet endeavors to select the roadways which will conduct the trucks and the auto into the upper compartment A which may, for the purpose of play. be designated as the fort to be taken. The lower compartment. B may be designated as the grave yard, and it` the trucks or auto pass into the grave yard through gap 10, they may be considered as killed and do not count, but if they pass into the upper compartment A or the fort, the player in the upper end is given a numerical credit depending upon the number of soldiers so entering the fort, the entry of the general (automobile 22) into the fort giving a player a greater number of credits than the entry of a truck load of soldiers.

The player at the higher end of the cabinet is given a certain number of attempts or plays, and for each such play or attempt, the player at the lower end may operate the switches or bridges in a secret manner unknown to the player at the higher end of the cabinet. After the player at the higher end of the cabinet has made the allotted number of attempts or plays, the players change positions, and the game is proceeded with as before. The trucks and auto may be returned to the higher end of the cabinet by rolling them down the trackway 18 at one side of the cabinet. Inasmuch as the tunnels through which the trucks and auto are conducted is enclosed, and because of the curtain 19, the player at the lower end of the cabinet 1 cannot observe which tracks are being utilized by the player at the higher end of the cabinet, and the player at the higher end cannot observe the condition of the switches or bridges at the lower end of the cabinet. Such a game device has been found to be very entertaining to both children and adults, and aids in developing in the players the principles of strategy. The device is compact, simple, durable, and relatively inexpensive.

1t will be understood that various changes in the details which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as eX- pressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A game device comprising a runway along which objects may move from one end thereof, selectively operable switching means arranged at a point spaced from said one end, for diverting into different paths any objects moving along said runway from said one end, and means for screening said switching means from the sight of a player at said one end of the runway.

2. A game device comprising an inclined tunnel divided into separate branches at a point between its ends, and switching means at the division point and selectively and variably shiftable to divert into one of said branches any objects moving down selected and variable portions of said tunnel, and to divert into the other of said branches any objects moving down remaining portions of said tunnel.

3. A game device comprising a tunnel divided into separate branches at a point between its ends, switching means at the division point and selectively and variably shiftable to divert into one of said branches any objects moving along selected and variable portions of said tunnel from the entrance end thereof, and to divert into the other of said branches any objects moving along remaining portions of said tunnel, and a yieldable screen between said division point and the entrance end of said tunnel for obstructing a view of said switching means from the entrance end of said tunnel.

4. A game device comprising a tunnel divided into separate branches at a point between its ends, switching means at the division point and selectively and variably shiftable to divert into one of said branches any objects moving along selected and variable portions of said tunnel from the entrance end thereof, and to divert into the other of said branches any objects moving along remaining portions of said tunnel, and a curtain slit vertically and suspended across the tunnel at a point between said switching means and the entrance end of said tunnel for permitting the passage thereby of objects passing along the tunnel and for obstructing a View of the switching means from the entrance end of said tunnel.

5. A game device comprising an elongated tunnel, means for supporting said tunnel in an inclined position7 a compartment beneath the tunnel and opening upwardly through the floor of the same at a point between the ends of the tunnel, and bridge means cooperating with the floor of the tunnel and shiftable to bridge said opening at selected and variable points in the width of said tunnel, whereby objects moving down certain portions of the floor of the tunnel will pass through said opening into said lower compartment and other objects moving down the other portions of the floor of said tunnel will be guided over said opening to the lower end of the tunnel.

6. A game device comprising an inclined tunnel having an opening across the floor thereof at a point between its ends, said tunnel having a compartment below the lower end thereof and communicating with said opening in the fioor thereof, and a `plurality of members arranged side by side and bridging said opening, and individually and selectively shiftable into and out of bridging positions, whereby objects moving down selected portions of the floor of said tunnel will pass through said opening into the lower compartment, and objects moving down other portions of the floor of said tunnel will be guided across said opening by said members to the lower end of the floor of the tunnel.

7. A game device comprising an inclined tunnel having rails extending lengthwise along and dividing the floor of the tunnel into separate roadways arranged side by side, the ioor of said tunnel being apertured at a point between its ends to provide an opening in the bottom of each roadway, said tunnel having a compartment below the lower end thereof and communicating with the aperture of said tunnel, and an individual bridge for the opening in each roadway shiftable to cover or uncover its opening independently of the others, whereby objects moving down certain of said roadways may be, guided across said openings to the compartment formed by the lower end of said tunnel, and objects passing down the other roadways will pass through said openings into said compartment below the tunnel floor.

8. A game device comprising an inclined tunnel having rails extending lengthwise along and dividing the ioor of the tunnel into separate roadways arranged side by side, thc Hoor of said tunnel being apertured at a point between its ends to provide an opening in the bottom of each roadway, said tunnel having a compartment below the lower end thereof and communicating with the aperture of said tunnel, and an individual bridge for the opening in each roadway shiftable to cover or uncover its opening independently of the others, whereby objects moving down certain of said roadways may be guided across said openings to the compartment formed by the lower end of said tunnel, and objects passing down the other roadways willV pass through said openings into said compartment below the tunnel floor, said individual bridges being accessible for operation by a player at the lower end of the tunnel,

9. A game device comprising an inclined tunnel having rails extending lengthwise along and dividing the floor of the tunnel into separate roadways arranged side byside, the floor of said tunnel being apertured at a point between its ends to provide an opening in the bottom of each roadway, said tunnel having a compartment below the lower end thereof and communicating with the aperture ofvsaid tunnel, an individual bridge for the opening in each roadway shiftable to cover or uncover its opening independently of the others, whereby objects moving down certain of said roadways may be guided across said openings to the compartment formed by the lower end of said tunnel, and objects passing down the other roadways will pass through said openings into said compartment below the tunnel floor, and a screen supported across said tunnel at a point between said openings and the higher end of said tunnel permitting passage thereby of said objects, and screening said openings from the sight of a player at the higher end of said tunnel.

10. A game device comprising an inclined tunnel divided into separate branches at a point between its ends, switching means at the division point and selectively and variably shiftable to divert into one of said branches any objects moving down selected and variable portions of said tunnel, and to divert into the other of said branches any objects moving down remaining portions of said tunnel. and an oppositely inclined runway extending along said tunnel for returning to the higher end of said tunnel objects which have been passed down said tunnel.

11. A game device comprising an inclined runway dividing into separate branches at a point adjacent its lower end, switching means at said division point and selectively and variably shiftable to divert into one ot said branches any objects moving down selected and variable portions of said runway, means for screening said switching means from the sight of a player at the higher end of said runway, and a plurality oi rolling objects having distinguishing characteristics.

SANDFORD C. PEEK. 

